Ten dead and 15 injured after van runs down Toronto pedestrians, but police doubt terrorism

Ten people are dead and 15 injured after a white rental van ploughed through a busy Toronto sidewalk on Monday afternoon, as large crowds of office workers were on lunch break, police said. 

Officials suggested the incident was unrelated to terrorism, and it was not known what motivated the driver to steer his vehicle toward people just before 1.30pm. The driver was arrested nearby.

Speaking at a news conference Monday night, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders raised the initial death toll of nine to 10, saying another victim had died at a hospital. He said 15 others were hospitalised.

Saunders identified the man detained after the incident as Alek Minassian, 25, a resident of the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill. He said the suspect had not been known to police previously.

Asked if there was any evidence of a link to terrorism, the chief said: “Based on what we have there’s nothing that has it to compromise the national security at this time.”

A senior national government official said authorities had not turned over the investigation to the federal Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a sign that investigators believed it unlikely terrorism was the motive. The official agreed to reveal that information only if not quoted by name.